Drop-box-lifting mechanism



March 27, 1928.

C. W. CRANE y DROP BOX LIFTING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 18. 1927 /f//f/z/a/C70/wc@ h/ Cram? Patented Mar.r h27, 19228.

UNITED STATES PATENT orFlcE.

CLARENCE W. CRANE, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CROMTTON &KNOWLES LOOM WORKS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION FMASSACHUSETTS.

Y nnorp-BoX- LIFTING MEoHAnIsM.

' Appiicanon and January 1a, 1927. serial No.' 161,923.

This invention relates to the box lifting.V

h. improved connect-ions between the lifting mechanism of a drop 'boxloom. In suc looms, it is desirable that the boxes may be released andraised manually forcertain purposes,

from the loom, if desired, without changing the adjustment or settingofthe box lifting mechanism. It is also desirable that the liftingmechanism be operatively connected to the lifter rod, or to some elementslidable thereonl at a point adjacent the pivotal 'center of the lay.

It is one'objeet of my invention to provide an improved construction ina drop box'lifting mechanism, so designed that'the lift-y ing lever andthe `parts associated therewith will always remain Vin operativerelation, even when the lifter rod is entirely removed therefrom.Further objects are to provide a construction in which -the liftinglever isV permanently connected to a member slidable along the axis ofthe lifter rod, and to provide,l a construction in which said slidablemember has a. yielding or giveway connection to the lifter rod. A

My invention further relates to arrangements. and combinations ofvparts'which will Y be hereinafter described and more particularlypointed out in the appended claims. n

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings in which Fig.1 is a front elevation of parts of a drop box loom embodying` myimprovements; Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof, looking in thedirection of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1;'

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional end elevation, taken along the line 3 3in Fig. 1, and n F iff. l is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 3,looking in the direction of the arrow 4 in said figure. v

Referring to the drawings, I have shown a portion of a loom frame'supporting a rock shaft 11 on which is mounted the usual sword 12 forthe lay 13 and also a bracket 14 for the drop box lifter mechanism. Thedrop boxes 15 are assembled in a drop box frame 16 secured to the upperend of a lifter rod 17. A drop box lifting lever 18 is selectivelyoperated by pattern mechanism (not shown) and is moved up and down tocorrespond to the desired position of the drop boxes 15.

vor that they may be entirely removed My invention relates moreparticularly to lever 18 and the lifter rody 17 which con- 55 nectionswill 'now be described. 1

The bracket 14' on the rock shaft 11 has an'upwardly and laterallyextending projection 20 (Fig. 3), kprovided with an open-v ing `21adapted to receive and'positi'on a sleeve or bushing' 22. The sleeve 22ispreferably flanged atl the upper end, as indicated at 23, and may besecured in the projection 2O by a binding screw 24:. The lifter' rod 17has a sliding bearing in the upper part V65` of the sleeve or bushing22and the lowerv part of the bushing is preferably recessedk to provideclearance for the rod 17.

The axis of the sleevey 22 preferably intersects the axis ofthe rockshaft 11 and it will be noted that the sleeve is'held in fixed relationto the bracket 14.- and rock shaft 11, and that it is oscillatedtherewith-as the lay 13 moves back'and forth. Y Y a A f A link 26 ispivoted at 27 to the lever 18 and the lower end of the linkis pivoted ona stud-28 inserted through a slot 29a in a connecting member 29 (Fig.The link 26 is preferably adjustable lengthwise, as indicated inFig. 1.The member29 is freely slidable on the outside of the'sleeve 22 and Yrhas a suitable bearing thereon in every posi- '-tion of the liftinglever 18. Y

Onev member 30 of a giveway connection is pivotally connected by a stud31 to an offset arm 32 forming part of the sliding connecting member 29.A second member 33 rof the giveway connection is pivoted at 34 to thefirst member 30 and is yieldingly connected thereto at its upper end bya rspring The giveway members 30 and 33 are provided withnotched'projections 36 adapted to engage a stud 37 (Fig. 2) on a stand38 which is slidably mounted on the lifting rod 17 and which is normallyconnected thereto by a stud 39, as shown more in detail in the previouspatent to Santon and Bassett, No. 1,587,086, issued J une l, 1926.

Having described the details of construction of my improved liftingmechanism, the use and advantages thereof will be readily apparent. Itwill be noted that the sliding member 29 has a substantial bearing onthe on A sleeve 22 and that there is no possibility of displacement ofthe member 29 therefrom in any position ofthe lever 1S,

Furthermore, the movement of the member 29I is along the axis of thesleeve 22, which intersects the axis of the rock shaft 11. Also themember 29 moves approximately equal distances above and below the axisof the rock shaft, so that the oscillating movement at the point ofconnection between the link 26 and the member 29 Yis iedticed to aminimum.

The drop box lifter yrod 17 may be released from the lifter mechanism bywithdrawing the stud 39 and moving the rod up or down manually asdesired. During such manual movement, all of the operative parts willremain operatively connected rand no loose parts can be displaced. Thedrop boxes may thus be moved up ,or `down at the will ofthe operator ormay be entirely removed from the loom without disturbing the adjustmentsofthe liftingmechanism.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do notwish to be limited to t-he details herein disclosed otherwise than asset forth in the claims, but what I claim is 1. In a drop box liftingmechanism, a rock shaft, a plurality of drop boxes, a llifter rod forsai-d boxes, a lifting lever, aV connecting member lslidable along theaxis of said lifter rod, an operating connection from said lever to-said sliding member, and a link pivoted toV saidsliding member at itslower end and pivoted to said lifter rod at the upper end of "said link,whereby said rod may be actuated from said lifter lever.

2. yIn a drop box lifting mechanism, a rock shaft, a yplurality ofrdropboxes,a lifter rod for said boxes, a bearing sleeve for said lifter rodmounted to oscillate with said rock shaft,

' and having its axis substantially intersecting,r

the axis of said shaft, a, lifting lever, a con- 3. The combination in adrop box lifting mechanism as set forth in. claim 2, in which thebearing sleeve extends racross the. axis of the rock shaft, and in whichthesliding member crosses'the axis of said rock shaft in its" normaloperative movement.

4. The combination iii a. drop box lifting mechanism as set forth inclaim 2, in which the bearing sleeve extends across the axisof the rockshaft, and in which the sliding l"meni-r ber moves substantially equaldistances'abve and below said axis.' v l 5. In a drop box liftingmechanism, a rock shaft, aplura'lityof drop boxes, a "lifter rod forsaidboxes, a bearing sleeve for said lifter rod mounted to oscillate withSaid rock shaft and 'having its axis ysubstantially intersecting theaxis of said shaft, a lifting lever, a connecting member slidable onlsaid bearing sleeve, positiveoperating connections between said leverand said 'slidingmember,y and yielding operatingco'nnect'ioiisbet-ii'een'.

said sliding'membe'r and said lifter rod. y

'6. Ina drop box lifting mechanism, a roc'l'r shaft, a plurality ofdropyboxes, a lifter rod for said boxes, a' bearing sleeve for saidlifter rod mounted to oscillate with said rock shaft and lia-ving itsaxis rsu'bstantially intersecting" the axis of said shaft, a liftinglever, a. lcoiinecting member slid'able on said bearing sleeve, positiveoperatingconnections between said Vlever yand said sliding member, a`connecting device detachably secured "to said lifter rod, and a givewayconnection betweenisaid sliding member and said` connectin'g device. A 1y In 'testimony whereof I :have "hereunto affixed my signati'ire. f

' CLARENCE W'. CRANE.

